Bits and Bobs
by RandomMoo92
Summary: Bits and bobs from the world of Harry Potter. One-Shots, Drabbles.
1. Chapter 1

**Potter Laughter**

"James, go and tidy your room." Ginny asked her thirteen year old son.

"I don't want to though." He replied, dropping his messy head onto the table top.

"Please James." She turned back to the stove where a stew was bubbling merrily.

"It's not even messy."

"Really? I could have sworn there were underpants on the floor."

"I'll do it after tea."

"What if I say you can't have any tea until your rooms tidy?" Ginny said, grinning at the cleverness of her plan. James couldn't go without a meal; he was like his uncle Ron in that respect.

James' head whipped up.

"You wouldn't want to starve your oldest and most handsome son would you?" He said, grinning his cheeky grin.

Ginny couldn't help smiling.

xxxxxx

"Mum, I'm bored!" James cried . Fifteen minutes had passed since he was asked to tidy his room, but he was still sat at the table watching his mother cook.

"Well tidy your room then!" Ginny replied.

James just groaned.

"Dad's home."

"How do you ..." She heard the front door open, then close, as Harry made his way up the hall.

"My ears are well trained, Mum."

Ginny laughed.

"Hello Gin." Harry said, entering the kitchen and ruffling James' hair.

James just scowled.

Harry slipped his arm around Ginny's waste and kissed her. He'd missed her during his time at work, he always did.

"Alright, alright, I'm going to tidy it. No need to make me feel sick." James exclaimed, rushing out of the kitchen as fast as he was able.

Ginny laughed again, Harry joining in. Merlin, James made them laugh.


	2. Chapter 2

**Jingle Bells**

Petunia padded along the hallway, a glass of warm milk clutched in her hand. Dudley had demanded one after waking from a nightmare. And whatever Dudley wanted, Dudley got.

"Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way ..." The small voice stopped her in her tracks. She knew exactly where and who it came from. He sounded so sad.

Petunia flung the door of the cupboard under the stairs open and was met with a pair of big, green eyes.

She stopped herself from shouting at the four year old when she saw him hastily wipe the tears that cascaded down his cheeks.

"Go ... go to sleep bo ... Harry." She told him softly.

"Yes Aunt Petunia." She shut the door with a soft click.

The small boy that was so much like his mother made her stop and think. He obviously knew that there would be nothing waiting under the Christmas tree this year. There never was. Making a spur of the moment decision, Petunia ascended her carpeted stairs.

Petunia delivered the warm milk to her beloved son, who happened to have fallen back to sleep, and proceeded to the living room.

Mountains of presents were already stuffed under the bright Christmas tree, most for Dudley, some for Vernon and herself, none for Harry.

Petunia grabbed two of Dudley's presents, one a pair of socks and one a stuffed dragon. She carefully tore the name tags from the vivid paper, replacing them with ones baring Harry's name. And some how she felt much better, as if a weight had lifted from her heart.

xxxxxx

To this day Petunia Dursley never knew what drove her to give the presents to Harry. Maybe it was guilt or maybe she did love him, really. But seeing the look on the little boys face when he got his first proper present tugged her heart strings, just a little. It never happened again.

xxxxxx

**A/N: I was feeling slightly festive and a little bit sad when I wrote this (I was cold, it was dark and I had just walked about two miles) . This was meant to be posted before Christmas but due to laptop malfunctions, has to be after.**

**Merry Christmas.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Ice Cream**

Harry walked through the front door, a white plastic bag swinging from his hand.

"What's that?" Ginny asked.

"Ice cream." Harry replied.

"What flavour?"

"Strawberry."

"I don't like strawberry."

"You do!"

"I don't."

"Why?"

"Doesn't taste like strawberries."

Harry sat down, opened the ice cream tub and summoned a spoon. He then proceeded to try and force feed Ginny ice cream.

Eventually he got tired of this as it was clear that Ginny was not going to eat it.

So he swiped the ice cream filled spoon across her nose. Then he ran.


	4. Chapter 4

**Graveside Tears**

Mary collected the dry, dead flowers from the foot of her husband's gravestone and replaced them with fresh ones from the basket on her arm. She got to her feet, using her knurled walking stick for support. Bidding a silent goodbye, Mary set off slowly through the labyrinth of graves towards the exit.

She stopped upon seeing a young woman sat cross legged in front of a black marble tombstone, her forehead resting against it. Mary noted the freshly dug earth and knew that another soul had joined the afterlife. She dug in her coat pocket, fished out a clean, white handkerchief and passed it to the grief-stricken mourner.

The young woman stood and only then did Mary notice the substantial bump jutting out from her slim frame. Her wide, brown eyes were puffy and ringed with red, her dark red hair hung in long, limp waves.

"Thanks." She said and after erasing the tear tracks from her cheeks, handed the handkerchief back.

"You're welcome. Were you related?" Mary asked softly, tucking the handkerchief into her coat pocket.

"H-Harry was my ... my h-husband."

Mary glanced at the dates on the gravestone and realised that the young man was only twenty four.

"I'm so sorry for your loss." Mary said sympathetically. The young woman's position was tragic, losing a husband while pregnant must have been heartbreaking. Mary felt very fortunate that her own husband, Albert, had seen their children grow up and even seen their grandchildren.

Meanwhile, Ginny sank back to the cold ground, fresh tears burning her eyes. She looked down at the small, cream teddy with the brown nose clutched in her hand. Harry had bought it for the baby after her second scan, he had been so happy at the thought of being a dad. It filled Ginny's heart with sorrow, thinking that he never got to be.

xxx Four Years Later xxx

"James!" A woman called, just as the small boy crashed into Mary, nearly knocking her into a nearby gravestone and sending her walking stick flying.

"I'm so sorry!" the woman exclaimed, offering a hand to steady the old woman. "He's just a little hyper."

James looked up at Mary, emerald eyes wide and bottom lip trembling. The small boy clutched his small, worn, cream teddy closer to him, as if he thought the old lady would take it from him.

"It's alright dearie." She told the little boy ruffling his messy, dark hair.

The little boy tugged his mother's hand "Are we going to see Daddy now, Mummy?" James whispered.

"Yes, one minute. Nice to meet you, I'm Ginny."

"Mary." The old lady smiled, but she didn't miss the sadness that clouded the young woman's eyes at the mention of James' father. Mary couldn't escape the feeling that she'd met Ginny before.

Ginny and James made their way to a black marble tombstone. The small boy placed a single white lily on top of it and kissed the smooth stone. Ginny sat cross legged on the grass and pulled her son into her lap, kissing his wayward locks.

"Hi Harry ..."

xxxxxxxxxxx

**A/N: Just a random idea that popped into my head. And I know that James' eyes are meant to be brown but I couldn't let Harry's eyes die.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Tears of the Child**

Petunia's hand edged towards the ear plugs that lay on her bedside table but something was stopping her actually using them.

Harry had been crying for over an hour and Petunia was torn. She wanted to comfort the distraught one year old but some part of her was unable to face him.

"Mama! Dada! Mama! Dada!" Harry's cries for his parents were broken with huge, heart-wrenching sobs.

Vernon gave an almighty grunt and rose from the bed. Petunia heard him stomp down the stairs and towards the cupboard.

"SHUT UP BOY!" She heard him raw and winced when he slammed the door of the cupboard-under-the-stairs closed.

Vernon got back into bed without a sound and fell straight to sleep. Petunia found herself listening to the quiet sobs of her nephew, unable to fall asleep.

xxxxxx

Far away and way beyond our knowledge, a young woman stood watching her small son, tears cascading down her cheeks. Her young husband stood next to her too shocked to speak.

There only son, the boy they died to save was crying out for them. Stuck in a dark, stuffy cupboard, Harry wanted nothing more than a cuddle from his parents.

As his cries became hysterical, Lily and James watched as their large, beefy brother-in-law screamed at their son to shut up. Harry jumped and fell back onto the thin mattress of his cot.

Both parents watched helplessly as Harry found the familiar smelling blanket and buried his face in its soft material, sobbing himself to sleep.

Lily watched on, James' hand clutched tightly in her own. The urge to tough her son was overwhelming but it was impossible to carry out such a simple action. And that, that broke her heart.


	6. Chapter 6

**Baby Pictures**

Never, even after ten years of marriage, had Ginny seen a baby picture of Harry. She'd never really thought about it, but now, sorting through the family pictures, she wondered if there ever had been any.

Making up her mind, Ginny summoned a quill, a bottle of ink, a roll of parchment and began to write.

xxxxxx

Petunia was just finishing her morning wash down of all the kitchen surfaces, when a large tawny owl flew through the window. She shrieked and dropped the bottle of all purpose cleaner on her foot. Retrieving the bottle, Petunia approached the owl wearily and noticed an envelope dangling from its beak. She took the letter and expected the owl to leave her. It did not.

"Shoo!" She said flapping her arms at the bird, but it only hooted indignantly and went and perched itself on the window sill.

Petunia thanked God that Vernon had already left the house. She cautiously opened the letter not knowing what to expect. What she found shocked her no end.

_Dear Petunia Dursley,_

_I hope our owl found you okay and I hope you weren't too shocked to see her. I chose to write to you rather than your husband as I have heard all about him from Harry and I expect he wouldn't appreciate a visit from an owl. _

_I don't know whether your son told you about me, but I am Harry's wife. We've been married for ten years and have three beautiful children, James, Albus and Lily. I'm sure Harry would have told you this himself but he is either too stubborn or unable to forgive you and your husband._

_It occurred to me today, while sorting through the children's photographs, that I have never seen a picture of Harry before Hogwarts. I would love to see some and I'm sure Harry would too. I am, of course, asking if you have any? You are the only person I know to contact about this matter. _

_Apple (Lily named her) will wait until you have a reply as I don't know whether the muggle postman knows where we are. _

_Thank you_

_Ginny Potter_

Petunia read the letter through once more, completely shocked by the whole thing.

Photos of Harry. Petunia wasn't sure there were any but began to search anyway. Whether it was to get rid of the owl or to help the unknown woman, she didn't know.

xxxxxx

Apple returned later that evening, just after bath time but just before bedtime. Inside the white envelope, Ginny found seven muggle photographs and a folded note.

_Dear Ginny Potter, _

_I am glad to hear that my nephew found somebody to love him and am glad to hear of your family._

_There were not many photographs of him and I have enclosed them all._

_Yours faithfully _

_Petunia Dursley_

The note was painfully formal but Ginny was just glad to have to photos in her hands.

Harry was sat in living room, surrounded by his children. He was telling them a story and they were all so engrossed that she entered the room unnoticed. She chose to wait until later on to breech the subject.

Once the children were in bed Ginny approached Harry, not knowing whether he would be glad that she had written to his aunt, or angry.

"Harry?" She said from her seat next to him.

"Hmmm?" He replied, looking up from his newspaper.

"I ... Wrote to your Aunt, to ask for pictures of you when you were little. She sent these back." Ginny held out the photographs. Harry took them, looking shocked more than anything.

They were all school photographs and as the Harry in the pictures got older the more worse off he looked. In his Reception photograph he was four, smiling shyly in a brand new uniform only one size too big. In his year six photograph he was ten, frowning, with a baggy uniform, tapped glasses and a shock of untidy hair.

"Dudley had just pushed me over." Harry said, pointing to his year five photograph. "That's what the bruise is from. And the teacher attacked me with a wet comb before it was taken. That's why my hair is wet. Didn't flatten it thought."

Ginny giggled and ran a hand through his untidy hair, which both her sons had inherited.

"I didn't know she'd kept them. They bought them for appearances sake, so I thought they would have been binned straight away." Harry smiled, "Maybe she did care."

Ginny took the photos from his hands and placed them on the coffee table. She then snuggled up to him on the sofa. Harry buried his face in her hair.

"Thank you." He whispered.

xxxxxx

**A/N: I have no idea if this would actually happen but you never know **** The letter was from Ginny hard was hard to do, so excuse me if it's not very good. Anyway, hope you enjoyed!**

**I'm sorry I haven't posted any Pitter Patter for a while but I have a bit of writers block **** I have set myself a target as far as Pitter Patter goes and I intend to stick to it.**


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